6 vessels were escorted by icebreakers in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland during 24 hours on April 11-12, says Ice Operations Headquarters of the Baltic Sea Ports Administration.
Since the beginning of this winter navigation season icebreakers performed 2236 operations including 1189 operations at Big Port St. Petersburg, 358 operations at the port of Vyborg and Vysotsk, 202 operations at the port of Primorsk and 487 operations at the port of Ust-Luga.
7 icebreakers are in operation.
According to Ice Operations Headquarters, the convoy meeting point is at buoy No 4 of the Big Ship Channel (60 degrees 11.5 minutes north latitude; 27 degrees 46.1 minutes east longitude).
Between the entrance buoy and the Dock-Gate Building C-1: mostly ice-free water. Between Dock-Gate Building C-1 and buoys No 27-28 of St. Petersburg Seaway Channel: consolidated ice of 10-15 cm thick and concentration of 5/19ths to 7/10ths. Between buoys No 27, No 28 and picket No 132: consolidated ice of 10-15 cm thick. Between picket No 132 and the Golden Gate: highly consolidated ice of 10-15 cm. In the water area of Big Port St. Petersburg: brash ice of 5-15 cm thick and concentration of 3/10ths to 6/10ths.
Between the port of Vyborg and the port of Vysotsk: shore ice of 20-35 cm thick. Between the port of Vysotsk and the Rondo island: 20-30 cm thick shore ice. Between the Rondo and Hally islands: mostly ice free water, further to 18Е anchorage - consolidated ice of 10-20 cm thick. Between 18Е anchorage and Buoy No. 4 of Big Ship Channel: mostly ice-free water with floating ice and ice floes of up to 10-20 cm thick.
At port Primorsk: shore ice of up to 25-35 cm thick. Between buoys No 3-4 and buoy No 6 of the Big Ship Channel: consolidated ice of 15-25 cm. Further westwards: the water is mostly ice-free with floating ice of 10-20 cm.
At the port of Ust-Luga: mostly ice-free water. Ice floes of up to 20 cm thick are observed around the 10A anchorage.
Between the convoy meeting point and buoy No 8 of the Big Ship Channel: mostly ice-free water with ice floes of 10-20 cm thick. Between buoy No 8 and buoy No 12: consolidated ice of 10-20 cm thick, further to С-1: mostly ice free water.